Grey Tissue There are a lot of silver nose studs on the market today, and yes they are very cheap, but don’t be tempted. Buying one could be a big mistake. Silver is a toxic metal and tends to oxidise in piercings. This in turn kills the living skin tissue, leaving a grey, dead area of tissue which looks rather odd. The pictures below show grey areas of dead tissue a year after the piercing has been removed. People with these silver nose stud problems often feel self-conscious for many years, as quite often the imperfection just doesn’t fade. Nose Bumps These are normally caused by ill-fitting jewellery, crooked piercings and changing jewellery too often and too soon. The first picture below shows a ring of tissue shaped like a donut. A tight fitting round ball on moist skin is most likely the cause, but they can also be caused by incorrectly piercing with a gun and earring. When piercing with a needle, it cuts a clean hole out of the skin which is the same gauge as the jewellery entering it. This means there is no displacement of tissue, as the removed tissue is simply replaced by the jewellery. If a sharp earring is forced through the skin by a gun the tissue is just unnaturally displaced into the surrounding area, and as a result, the tissue can expand upward or inwards. Although these bumps are less likely to occur in needle piercings, it’s impossible to guarantee you won’t get a bump. If you do find a nose bump appearing, keep the skin as dry as possible and change the jewellery to a longer stud or ring. It might also be worth considering changing to a smaller gauge, as this will give the tissue more area to fill if tissue displacement is the cause, but don’t go too thin. I would say a gauge 0.2mm smaller is ideal, so change from a 1mm stud to a 0.8mm stud. Studs below 0.6mm can cause problems if caught, and if the piercing is still healing a thin wire is more likely to make the piercing hole into a slit rather than a hole (like a cheese wire effect). The second picture shows a claw set stone sinking into the piercing. Claw settings can harbour dirt and bacteria and are abrasive to the piercing. BMG’s nose studs are specially designed with cone set stones to sit on, rather than in, the piercing. These lie flat to the nose, reducing abrasion and the opportunity for bacteria to harbour. Flat-lying studs also give a more desirable look. The third picture also shows the result of tight fitting jewellery. Here it is sinking into the piercing, which means the post needs to be longer. It is important to measure your nose and buy a stud with the correct shaft length.

 

Dealing With Nose Bumps There is a wide range of advice on how to deal with nose bumps. Some methods are:

• Compress with mild salt water for 5 minutes a day.
• Cover a camomile tea bag with hot water, allow to cool, then use as a compress.
• Compress using 15+ manuka honey.
• Tea tree oil, lavender, vitamin E cream or wheat germ cream.

Ensure your nose stud is either 18ct gold, platinum or titanium as these are the best metals for a healthy piercing. The jewellery should be smooth, without scratches. In truth, all or some of the above remedies may help. Certainly if the bump has fluid in it, a compress will help. The main thing is to keep it clean and make sure the jewellery fits well with plenty of room. Avoid touching the bump as much as possible and keep it dry. We have found over the years that people with these bumps tend to worry constantly about them, looking in the mirror every 5 minutes, touching and adjusting the jewellery all the time. Those who can ignore them and forget about them tend to find their noses heal up much quicker. The Key to Avoiding Nose Stud Problems The main thing with nose piercings and nose jewellery is that each and every nose is different. They have different thicknesses and shapes, so naturally you’ll need a nose stud made that caters to your needs. As both jewellers and piercers, BMG realised this many years ago and have led the way to educate the wearer and create bespoke nose studs which fit perfectly. Browse through a large range of beautiful handmade nose studs here, and choose your own tail shape, gauge and shaft length. This blog post was written by Body Matters Gold CEO Richard Soper. He has 17 years of piercing experience and designing a large range of nose studs and nose piercing jewellery.